You’re trying to download a cool app on your Mac computer via App Store but for some reasons, couldn’t get it done as you’re prompted with an error messaging saying, “Cannot connect to the App Store.” Apparently, this denotes a problem for you to solve. In case you need some help on how to deal with this issue, I’ve mapped out some of the most recommended solutions below. Read on to learn what to do and where to begin troubleshooting your Mac that cannot connect to Mac App Store.
What could have prevented your Mac computer from connecting to the App Store?
Determining the underlying cause is the first thing you should do in order to obtain ultimate solution. However, this can be a challenge if the error just occurred without doing anything on your computer before attempting to access the Mac App Store. In this case, ruling out individual culprits can be considered as the best approach in resolving the issue. To give you some clues, I’ve enumerated the common factors attributed to this App Store error. And these are as follow:
- Software glitches. These are comprised of rogue and corrupt programs on your computer including App Store. Like any other apps, the Mac App Store also is also not free from random errors.
- Incorrect settings. Your computer settings can also affect network-related apps and real-time services. Check and ensure that the date and time settings on your Mac are properly set. If not, then you should work on these settings first.
- Network problems. As the error implies, the computer is unable to process app download because it failed to connect to the App Store server. This usually happens if your device has unstable or no Internet connection at all.
- Server error/unavailability. Your computer may also fail to access the App Store services if the Apple server is currently having trouble or unavailable. This is usually the case if the App Store server is having some maintenance or system upgrade. The same thing can happen if unexpected technical difficulties arise.
- Bad updates. Sometimes, Apple services including the App Store would suddenly stop working after an update. In this case, update bugs are to blame and so the problem is deemed among the post-update errors for Apple to address.
- Account-related issues. If your App Store account is experiencing some trouble, chances are that you won’t be able to access or use relevant services. Should this be a minor account issue, logging out and back into your App Store account will likely fix it.
There are also some cases where the problem is due to some missing or corrupt files on the computer. In this case, scanning and clearing the repositories (caches) and replacing corrupt and missing files on your Mac computer will like solve the problem. You can use a third-party software to fix pertinent issues that are originated due to a system corruption on macOS Mojave.
If you’d take a look at the probable causes, you can conclude that the problem is attributed to the software. That said, it can be resolved on your end. All you have to do is try some applicable workarounds. To help you get started, you can refer to these subsequent solutions.
Troubleshooting a Mac computer (macOS Mojave) that cannot connect to the App Store
Note that there isn’t a definite solution yet given that the underlying cause is still to be determined. That said, you need to try each of these subsequent solutions individually until the problem is solved. Don’t forget to test launch your Mac App Store to determine whether or not the error is gone.
1st solution: Force quit Mac App Store and then restart it.
Like other apps, the App Store also experience random errors and downtimes. In most cases, the transpiring symptoms are just minor and therefore can easily be dealt with by restarting the application. So if you haven’t already, follow these steps to force quit and restart the App Store on your Mac:
- Press and hold the CMD, OPT, and ESC keys simultaneously to bring up the Force Quit menu.
- Select Mac App Store.
- Then click and hold on its dock icon or right-click until a menu appears.
- Click the Force Quit option at the bottom right side of the screen.
A few seconds from quitting the App Store, launch it again and see if the problem is fixed.
2nd solution: Restart your Mac computer.
If force quitting and restarting the App Store doesn’t do any good, try restarting your Mac instead. Doing so will get rid of random software errors that might have caused the App Store to glitch and fail. To restart a computer in macOS Mojave, simply refer to these steps:
- Click on the Apple logo located in the toolbar.
- Click on Restart.
- When asked to confirm, click on Restart again.
Alternatively, you can use the shortcut key combinations to restart your Mac computer. To do this, simultaneously press the Control, Command and Eject keys on the keyboard for a few seconds and then release when the computer reboots.
3rd solution: Refresh your Internet and configure DNS servers on your Mac computer.
To clear out minor network errors that might have prevented your Mac from accessing the App Store, restarting your Internet connection can help. So here’s what you should try doing then:
- Click on the Apple logo on the toolbar at the top of the screen.
- Click on System Preferences from the contextual menu.
- Click on Network to continue.
Then check to see if a green icon next to the network you’re connected to is present. If you see this green icon, then it means that the Internet connection is working fine and therefore isn’t to blame. But if you see a red icon next to the network in use, that denotes that your Internet connection is down or currently unavailable. And that is most likely the main reason why your Mac computer cannot connect to the App Store. In this case, disconnecting and reconnecting to your Wi-Fi network or rebooting the wireless router/modem can help.
Changing the DNS servers of your Mac to Google’s DNS can also help solve network-related errors including that of the App Store connection. If you wish to give it a try, then you may do so with these steps:
- Click on the Apple logo/icon on the toolbar.
- Click on System Preferences.
- Select your Network from the left pane.
- Then click Advanced to proceed.
- Scroll down to the DNS section.
- Click on the + sign under the DNS Servers box and then enter this DNS address: 8.8.8.8
- Next, click on the + sign under DNS Servers then enter this DNS address: 8.8.4.4 on the next line. Both these DNS addresses are Apple’s global DNS addresses.
- If prompted, click on OK then exit the network settings screen.
To apply these new changes, restart your Mac computer. After your computer boots up, launch the App Store and see if your computer is already able to access and connect.
4th solution: Manage date and time settings on your Mac computer.
Real time services including those attributed to the App Store and Apple server usually require correct date and time settings. That said, verify and confirm that your Mac is set to use the correct date and time information. Here’s how to access and manage date and time settings on macOS Mojave:
- Click on the Apple icon/logo on the taskbar.
- Open System Preferences.
- Tap on Date & Time.
Check to see if the date and time settings are correct. If not, then you should configure these settings for your Mac to use the correct date and time information.
If possible, use Automatic date and time settings on your Mac computer. Here’s how to configure your computer to use automatic date and time:
- Open System Preferences from the Apple menu.
- Click Date & Time icon or open the View menu then click Date & Time.
- Select the option to Set date & time automatically. Doing so will set your date and time according to one of Apple’s Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers.
- Select the Time Zone tab.
If the system cannot determine your location automatically, uncheck the option to Set time zone automatically using current location. By doing so, you can manually set your location by selecting your time zone region on the world map. Just select the closest city from the drop-down list.
5th solution: Log out of your App Store account and then log in again.
As mentioned earlier, account-related issues can also cause the same errors when using App Store services on your Mac computer. To rule this out, signing out and back into your App Store account is recommended. Here’s how to sign out and sign into your App Store account on Mac macOS Mojave:
- Open the App Store.
- Navigate to the Menu bar then click Store.
- Click the option to Sign Out.
- After successfully signing out of your App Store account, quit the App Store and then launch it again.
- Then click the option to Sign In.
- Enter your App Store credentials to log back into your account.
After successfully signing into your App Store account, retry launching the application and see if the error is gone.
6th solution: Update your Mac computer to the latest macOS version available.
Keeping a device software up to date is highly recommended to ensure that the system is optimized and likewise to keep it free from annoying bugs and errors. To check and ensure that your computer is running on the latest macOS version, follow these steps:
- Click on the Apple icon/logo.
- Select About this Mac.
- From the next screen, check which version is currently installed on your Mac.
- To check for new macOS version or update available, click on Software Update.
Doing so will take you to the App Store. If a new macOS version is available, you can refer to the onscreen instructions to update your computer.
7th solution: Delete any invalid or incorrect certifications from your Mac computer.
Invalid or incorrect certificates can also trigger the “cannot connect to the App Store” error on your Mac. To rule this out, try these methods:
- Launch the Finder app.
- Click on Go.
- Then, click to open the Go to Folder.
- In the following screen, type or copy-paste this code line: /var/db/crls/
- Then click on Go.
- Next, find and delete the files named cricache.db and ocspcache.db. To delete these files, simply drag both of them towards the Trash icon.
- If prompted, enter the correct admin password to confirm deletion of the selected files.
- Finally, empty the Trash folder.
After deleting the said files, restart your Mac and see if that fixed the problem with the App Store connection.
8th solution: Edit/modify KeyChain app certificates on your Mac computer.
You can also try to edit specific certificates in the KeyChain app. The KeyChain app contains passwords and certifications that are used by your Mac to establish secure connections from apps including the Mac App Store. Here’s what you should do then:
- Go to /Applications/Utilities/ menu then open KeyChain Access.
- Navigate to the left pane under Category then click on Certificates.
- Type Class in the search field at the top right corner of the KeyChain Access window.
- Then, press the Return key to complete and confirm command.
- From the search results, find and double-click on a certificate that has a blue outline icon. Doing so will open a new window containing information related to the certificate.
- To view permissions of the certificate, click on the triangle next to Trust.
- Then set Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) values to: Always Trust then close the window.
- If prompted, type in your admin password to confirm the action.
- Next, double-click on the same certificate you’ve previously opened.
- Click on the triangle next to Trust to view the permissions of the certificate.
- Set the When using this certificate: option to Use Custom Settings then close the window.
- If prompted, type in your admin password then follow the rest of the onscreen instructions.
Once you’re done modifying the KeyChain certificates, restart your Mac and see if that fixed the App Store problem.
Still couldn’t connect your Mac (macOS Mojave) computer to the App Store?
If none of the given solutions is able to fix the problem and that you’re still prompted with the same “Cannot Connect to the App Store” error when trying to launch it on your Mac, then at this point, you should escalate the problem to Apple Mac Support. Just let them know exactly of the details on how you ended up facing this error and what you’ve done so far, in an attempt to fix the problem on your end.
I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!